YongChun
09-27-2004, 02:53 PM
About Those Useless Forms
From my perspective, a form is like a textbook. It is a subject of study. Each section of the form gives something to study. Starting with the first form, even the name of this form implies that the form has something to do with ideas. The ideas in the first form, although small, can be built upon to produce something that is very substantial for fighting. .
Taking the first form as an example, the subjects of study can include how to be very stable, rooted, relaxed and centered when dealing with a force that is intent on destroying us. How to punch and hit with power and to receive these kinds of forces is also a subject of study in the first form. This study can easily blossom into the full Thai boxing kind of training regime or for others, the development of Internal mechanisms to enhance the delivery and the acceptance of force. Someone good in the first form means someone that feels very solid, is very relaxed, and can hit like a truck. It doesn’t mean that they are just pretty to look at because they do the form in an artistic way. In this light, form work is directly related to the development of fighting attributes. It is even possible that Siu Lim Tao level work does not even involve doing the form at all but rather is a training method for the important attributes suggested by the form.
Taking the second form for example, this form, in some Wing Chun circles, is called Searching for the Bridge. Ultimately it can be looked upon as a study in how to close with an opponent and how to deal with an opponent trying to close with you. That’s the subject matter. The ideas developed from studying this form can go well beyond the mechanics presented in the form even to the extent of closing against BJJ, Thai boxing or anything else. Mastery of the Chum Kiu level material to me means that such a person is very good at closing and handling people trying to close. To a large degree the Chum Kiu relates to the development of mobile or active footwork while retaining all of the good attributes developed from the SLT level of study. Of course the form doesn’t stand alone but builds upon the foundation of the Siu Lim Tao. Chum Kiu attributes are further enhance by the study of other forms such as the Biu Gee, the Wooden Dummy and the weapons. Each of these provides other types of footwork and hand-foot coordination training.
In my opinion talk about there being a distinction between those people who do the forms and chi sau and others who really fight doesn’t make much sense. The form isn’t something where you mimic some dance like movements. It is a study of concepts needed for effective fighting which includes putting in the hard physical training.
When you get to the third level or Biu Gee/ Bill Jee form then that just adds some more subjects to the study including the delivery of other types of energy to recovering and countering even to locking and counter locking, sweeping and grappling. The third form, in some interpretations, can be a catch all to include anything useful for fighting that haven’t been adequately covered by the previous two in depth studies. In actuality the study of fighting isn’t really a segregated subject that can be split into parts. For fighting everything is needed. Sometimes you need something from SLT, sometimes from CK and sometimes from BJ. Ideally all of the pieces become highly integrated such that a Wing Chun fighter becomes less and less robotic looking over time.
When it comes to the pole and knife, it can be something just to enhance the hand and foot skills of a Wing Chun practitioner or it can be the start of a study in the principles and training methods required for weapons combat. There is of course no end to such a study as even the study of a single weapon can consume a lifetime if competitive fighting or even reality fighting is a goal.
To me the forms are just a particular focus in the study of Wing Chun. All studies can involve theory and lab work, which includes drills, Chi sau and sparring against fellow students or against students of other styles of combat. The intensity at which this is done depends on the goals of the practitioners and upon safety and legal considerations.
In conclusion I think doing a form is just a part of studying a form. It is the first step to build something into one’s muscle memory. Just doing a form is not the same as studying a form. In the Kung Fu arts that I am familiar with, sooner or later form work involves a study of the practical applications of the concepts of the form. Some arts do this sooner than other arts or some teachers introduce fighting sooner than others. Some use the sink or swim theory and throw the student into the water on day one while others take a more gradual approach. Some teachers have the opinion that worrying too soon about applications detracts from building the proper fighting attributes or at least may result in a more painful way for the student to learn fighting. Eventually both types of swimming approaches should result an ability to swim. Likewise different training approaches can result in the ability to fight.
From my perspective, a form is like a textbook. It is a subject of study. Each section of the form gives something to study. Starting with the first form, even the name of this form implies that the form has something to do with ideas. The ideas in the first form, although small, can be built upon to produce something that is very substantial for fighting. .
Taking the first form as an example, the subjects of study can include how to be very stable, rooted, relaxed and centered when dealing with a force that is intent on destroying us. How to punch and hit with power and to receive these kinds of forces is also a subject of study in the first form. This study can easily blossom into the full Thai boxing kind of training regime or for others, the development of Internal mechanisms to enhance the delivery and the acceptance of force. Someone good in the first form means someone that feels very solid, is very relaxed, and can hit like a truck. It doesn’t mean that they are just pretty to look at because they do the form in an artistic way. In this light, form work is directly related to the development of fighting attributes. It is even possible that Siu Lim Tao level work does not even involve doing the form at all but rather is a training method for the important attributes suggested by the form.
Taking the second form for example, this form, in some Wing Chun circles, is called Searching for the Bridge. Ultimately it can be looked upon as a study in how to close with an opponent and how to deal with an opponent trying to close with you. That’s the subject matter. The ideas developed from studying this form can go well beyond the mechanics presented in the form even to the extent of closing against BJJ, Thai boxing or anything else. Mastery of the Chum Kiu level material to me means that such a person is very good at closing and handling people trying to close. To a large degree the Chum Kiu relates to the development of mobile or active footwork while retaining all of the good attributes developed from the SLT level of study. Of course the form doesn’t stand alone but builds upon the foundation of the Siu Lim Tao. Chum Kiu attributes are further enhance by the study of other forms such as the Biu Gee, the Wooden Dummy and the weapons. Each of these provides other types of footwork and hand-foot coordination training.
In my opinion talk about there being a distinction between those people who do the forms and chi sau and others who really fight doesn’t make much sense. The form isn’t something where you mimic some dance like movements. It is a study of concepts needed for effective fighting which includes putting in the hard physical training.
When you get to the third level or Biu Gee/ Bill Jee form then that just adds some more subjects to the study including the delivery of other types of energy to recovering and countering even to locking and counter locking, sweeping and grappling. The third form, in some interpretations, can be a catch all to include anything useful for fighting that haven’t been adequately covered by the previous two in depth studies. In actuality the study of fighting isn’t really a segregated subject that can be split into parts. For fighting everything is needed. Sometimes you need something from SLT, sometimes from CK and sometimes from BJ. Ideally all of the pieces become highly integrated such that a Wing Chun fighter becomes less and less robotic looking over time.
When it comes to the pole and knife, it can be something just to enhance the hand and foot skills of a Wing Chun practitioner or it can be the start of a study in the principles and training methods required for weapons combat. There is of course no end to such a study as even the study of a single weapon can consume a lifetime if competitive fighting or even reality fighting is a goal.
To me the forms are just a particular focus in the study of Wing Chun. All studies can involve theory and lab work, which includes drills, Chi sau and sparring against fellow students or against students of other styles of combat. The intensity at which this is done depends on the goals of the practitioners and upon safety and legal considerations.
In conclusion I think doing a form is just a part of studying a form. It is the first step to build something into one’s muscle memory. Just doing a form is not the same as studying a form. In the Kung Fu arts that I am familiar with, sooner or later form work involves a study of the practical applications of the concepts of the form. Some arts do this sooner than other arts or some teachers introduce fighting sooner than others. Some use the sink or swim theory and throw the student into the water on day one while others take a more gradual approach. Some teachers have the opinion that worrying too soon about applications detracts from building the proper fighting attributes or at least may result in a more painful way for the student to learn fighting. Eventually both types of swimming approaches should result an ability to swim. Likewise different training approaches can result in the ability to fight.